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Do you use a waterless wash system on your bus?
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I’m just tellingyou that you may think they are exhibiting a high polish, and I am saying as soon as you apply a polish and rub that polish in vigorously you will see a huge difference.
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Good recovery Jon. But I agree with you that cleaning and waxing the wheels brings out the beauty in them. BTW is it ok to use Wash and Wax All on the tires? I know you don’t use the various tire treatment but what about this?Harry
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Michelin is very clear on tire care and in thier tire manual they state only to use soap and water.
I will use a tire dressing if it has no silicones or petroleum distillates and then only once or at most about twice a year. That has been my practice over the years and I have never changed out old tires with cracks or any sign of aging.
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Jon, Just curious, by average how many miles would you say you have on your tires when you change them? I know you tend to retire earlier than usual but I’m curious?Ive always understood tires ware out inside or on the sidewalks before you’ll ever notice tread loss. And some say change tires every 5 to 7 years. But has Michelin actually done “Real World Road tests” regarding tire treatments? I ask because I’ve seen no such warnings on car tires.
You remember the bus we looked at with tires from 2004? They looked great but wow, 2004…
I realize car tires aren’t asked to withstand 60,000 pounds but they are made to handle the weight and speeds for which they are intended.
Harry
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Tires for our coaches as designed are intended to go about 700,000 to 900,000 miles in commercial service with 3 or 4 recaps. Michelin will not recap any tire that has reached 7 years from its date code. The tires we drive on are intended to be used every day for a lot of miles per day. While the miles wear out the tread, the usage in commercial service is beneficial because regular use frees up componds in the tire that keep the tires from aging and cracking. The way we use our tires, with infrequent use is actually damaging them.
When Michelin recaps a tire to its standards the tire is considered every bit as good as a new one. But in order for Michelin to cap a tire the tire must pass a very comprehensive inspection, including an X-ray if there are any concerns during the inspection. Age does not require an inspection. Once the tire reaches their age limit it doesn’t matter how good the casing is because to Michelin it is just scrap.
I have run a set to 130,000 miles in 5 years when we were using the coach for trade shows, and the tread depth remaining was 1/4″. The initial tread depth if I recall was 19/32″
Average RV use of the tires is unlikely to put 40,000 to 60,000 miles on tires before we replace them at 5 or 6 years. The replacement age can be extended but Michelin urges frequent inspections by a qualified dealer and that includes breaking it down and looking at the inside as well as the outside. A lot of tire failures are caused by damage or holes in the inner liner, and if the tire is run on low pressure the inner liner shows that and that is an immediate need to remove a tire from service.
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Warning … Thread creep.
Harry wrote: “You remember the bus we looked at with tires from 2004? They looked great but wow, 2004…”
Did you look at it recently? Did you take it on a test drive?
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Hey Jon, Dick of Milwaukee called me a creep!Jon was begging to drive it because he remembered tires from 2004 when he was young! Even the guy wanting to sell it balked at that young stuff! But NO, we Did not take a test drive, Jon is wild and crazy but not dumb! Yah right!
Harry
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The coach in question really looked great but it was all superficial. Harry and I did a very quick look at the systems and interior, but its only purpose was so Harry could get a sense of what these coaches are like.
If I remember the coach also had over 700,000 miles on it and the seller had a very high opinion of its worth.
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Nothing wrong with your memory Jon, 700,000 is exactly right! it was an entertainers bus as I remember, very sharp and very well detailed. Jon wanted to see what the front of the bus looked like because the coach had a bra. But the sales guy and owner as it turned out, was having none of that. He said he was afraid to take the bra off for fear he couldn’t get it back on again. Jon slipped his fingers along the side and it was as lose as a long necked goose! Jon says to the guy “as lose as it is you’d have no problem buttoning It up again”, but the owner thought it was a bad idea! It may have been perfect but had to be left to the imagination because he wasn’t showing it!It was a good day Jon, thanks!
Harry
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